SAJBD Responds to IAS Criticism

A couple of weeks ago we ran a post ‘Sweeping Anti-Semitism in South Africa Under the Carpet’ that was highly critical of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) for not publicising the disturbing findings of the South Africa Anti-Semitism report 2006 by the Institute of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism at Tel Aviv University. This is their response:

You should really have consulted with the SAJBD before posting this item. Had you done so, you would have learned that, far from the SAJBD being unaware of the antisemitic incidents noted in the Tel Aviv University report, they were in fact the ones who provided the information in the first place (the SAJBD compiles annual reports for Tel Aviv University on antisemitism in SA). It really is a bit much that not only are others credited with the work that the SAJBD does, but also that that same work is then used to accuse us of not doing our job! So far as what the responses to the antisemitic incidents have been, these were not included in the report, the reasons being that the actual response process can be very long and involved (the Nussbaum's 'bomb threat' incident is still in the process of being followed up through the relevant channels) and because we prefer not to go public too much with our modus operandi. However, that does not mean that nothing is being done. For example, in the Durban night club stabbing, as well as with the above-mentioned Nussbaum incident, we were involved in assisting with laying charges, and the SAJBD is currently following up the latter case. In most cases, of course, the perpetrators of antisemitic incidents cannot be identified and it is not possible to do more than note them for the record. Whenever an opportunity of taking action presents itself, however, the SAJBD do not fail to take it. David Saks, Associate Director SAJBD

It should be noted that the website where we found the report did not credit the SAJBD with supplying the information. It just said that the report was compiled by 'Tel Aviv University' for the 'Institute of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism'. That is why we credited the report only to the Tel Aviv University.

We thank the SAJBD for making the effort to clear this up.

Comments

[THE DICTATOR / EMBITTERED CORRESPONDENT]

The 'Kasrils/Iran" saga has been reported by Ynet news ( April 17th) However, I am not sure if many people will hear about it, which is just as well, as The SAZF are "concerned for the safety of the community."

So, it's now official...The SAZF is running scared, putting the safety of South African Jews before that of fellow Jews in Israel. And they call themselves a Zionist federation!

Would this lot have risen to Churchill's pledge to fight The Nazis on the beaches? In the words of Sasha Baron Cohen " Ich don't think so!"

(A Ynet news excerpt. Click on the html for the full report)

Members of South Africa's Jewish community reacted with alarm to news of Kasril's visit. Beth Goldman, of the South African Zionist Federation, told Ynetnews that Kasrils has alienated the Jewish community after a long-running campaign aimed at demonizing Israel.

"Kasril's attitude towards Israel has made him an enemy of the Jewish community. He Started off comparing actions by the IDF in Palestinian areas with actions by the Nazis," she said.

"This is extremely alarming. We are very concerned that the South African government has not come out and condemned Iran for the statements of its president, threatening to destroy Israel. We as Jews are very alarmed," Goldman added.

Goldman said that so far, efforts by members of the community to contact the South African government have produced few results. "We don't do very much public protesting, due to concerns for the security of the community. We have a very large, hostile Muslim community in South Africa," she said.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3389123,00.html

[Hadassah & Yosef Harrell]

We do not like what going on in South Africa either with this anti-semitism. But, we put ourselves in this predicament. We seem to forget, Israel did not speak up for Nelson Mandela during his 25 years incarceration. Yet, when Nelson Mandela came to Israel he reminded us. Now they are our enemies because, we turned them against us. These people do not have amnesia.

Did we help the Lembas Jews during that period in South Africa? No, after the apartheid government we try to disprove them as Jews with the DNA. Yet the DNA proved them to be Cohain. Does HASHEM accept our hypocrisy?

[Steve]

Hadassah and Yosef,

You make an excellent point about the tragic way our leadership chose to deal with the situation with the Lemba Jews. We could have created friends, and instead we created enemies.

But your criticism of Israel isn't as black and white as you seem to think. Israel was one of the nations that supported sanctions against South AFrica after Sharepeville. Verwoerd responded by threatening the Jews in this country. See more about the relationship between SA and Israel here: http://supernatural.blogs.com/weblog/2004/09/israel_and_apar.html

Israel did have relations with South Africa and that is regrettable. But so did many other nations. Apartheid SA could have been brought to a grinding halt if Arab nations withheld their supply of oil.

Furthermore, calling South Africa (and it seems as if you are singling South African blacks out as anti-Semitic, which is a gross prejudice - 'These people' do not have amnesia...) enemies of Jewish people is grossly sensationalist. We have far fewer anti-Semitic incidents than other nations.

But far worse is the way you seem to justify this and thereby suggest that South African Jews deserve this anti-Semitism because of Israel's past.